Because DreamWorks had so much success with the live-action version ofHow to Train Your Dragon, it’s only a matter of time before another one of their classic films gets a modern remake. Founded in the middle of the 1990s, it took a few years for the burgeoning animation studio to get established, but they soon had hits that could rival even Disney. Differentiating themselves from the House of Mouse, the studio released a bevy of animated films that included pop culture-inspired humor, and a tone of raunchiness that the other studios shied away from.
Eventually moving away from the 2D style,Dreamworks reached new heightswith CGI films likeShrek,Madagascar, andKung Fu Pandain the Aughts. The studio continued to find success with those franchises through a myriad of blockbuster sequels, andKung Fu Pandahas managed to be popular into the 2020s. Though studios like Illumination have muscled into DreamWorks' territory, the studio is entering a renaissance period that includes live-action versions of their classic films.How to Train Your Dragonwas a sure-fire hit, but there’s another legendary DreamWorks movie that’s most likely to be brought into the real world.
For DreamWorks, A Live-Action Shrek Movie Is The Obvious Next Step After HTTYD
The Big Green Ogre Is Still Their Most Recognizable Character
ThoughDreamWorks had released some great underrated filmsbeforeShrek,the 2001 blockbuster has come to represent what the studio stands for. The design of the film was totally unlike anything that had come before, andShrekmixed raunchy humor with cheeky pop culture-inspired jokes. While the movie was made for younger viewers, it also had an appeal to older kids and parents too. Even as Disney floundered at the turn of the new millennium, DreamWorks planted their flag firmly in the ground as the true champion of Aughts animated entertainment.
How to Train Your Dragonwas the logical first step for a live-action Dreamworks movie, butShrekseems like the obvious second stage in the studio’s live-action universe.
BecauseShrekis so emblematic of DreamWorks itself, it only makes sense that the animation studio would want to bring it into the realm of live-action. There is a larger world that DreamWorks has built around the title character, and the sequels and spinoffs have madeShrekinto a bona fide media empire.The film has already been adapted into a popular stage musical, so the precedent was set years ago.How to Train Your Dragonwas the logical first step for a live-action DreamWorks movie, butShrekseems like the obvious second stage inthe studio’s live-action universe.
One Reason Live-Action Shrek Would Make More Sense Than HTTYD
There Are Aspects Of The Shrek Franchise That Could Use A Refresh
How to Train Your Dragonhas proven to be the perfect blockbuster start to DreamWorks' live-action push, but there’s actually a big reason whyShrekprobably should have come first. Released back in 2010,How to Train Your Dragonwas a full nine years newer than the firstShrekfilm, and is therefore far less dated in comparison. There is a timeless quality to the firstHTTYDthat hasn’t tarnished in the 15 years since its release, butShrekisn’t quite the same. Both films are a legendary part of the studio’s filmography, butShrekwasn’t designed to be evergreen.
Not only has CGI animation improved a lot since 2001, butthe pop culture references makeShreka time capsule to the early days of the new millennium. Viewers who grew up with the movies are more attuned to the dated jokes, but younger audiences are often left in the dark whenShrekmakes a reference toThe MatrixorBabe.Even as theShreksequels wore on, the series grew and changed with the times. Logically,a live-action adaptation could further evolve the beloved swamp dweller, both from a technical standpoint and through its references.
Wait, A Live-Action Shrek Remake Sounds Terrible!
Dreamworks' Live-Action Remake Strategy Isn’t Ideal
Millennials would likely look upon aShreklive-action adaptation with abject horror, and for good reason.Major studios like Disney and DreamWorks seem to be scraping the bottom of the barrel when they trot out their old moviesand simply remake them into live-action. One thing that made DreamWorks so great in the early days was their boundless imagination and willingness to go places that competing animation studios wouldn’t. However, as the company’s strategy was normalized,DreamWorks has become just another big studio in search of their next hit. Because of this, more live-action movies seem inevitable afterHTTYD’s success.
2001
88%
$488 million
2004
89%
$932 million
2007
41%
$808 million
2010
58%
$752 million
Shrekmakes the most sense from a business standpoint, even if it might be the worst idea creatively. There are simply too many parts of the film that only work in the animated sphere, but the allure of money is never going to be vetoed by artistic integrity. Lesser-known DreamWorks projects likeRise of the Guardianswould be excellent for the live-action treatment, but a movie that sputtered the first time around isn’t going to get a second chance. The fourShrekmovies (thus far) are also the four highest-grossing DreamWorks movies, and no executive could resist.
What DreamWorks Can Learn From Disney’s Live-Action Remakes
DreamWorks Can Afford To Be Picky With Their Live-Action Offerings
Disney got into the live-action adaptation game decades ago, but it wasn’t until the 2010s that they went all-in on the idea. Early live-action movies like101 Dalmatiansgot bad reviews, but were blockbuster hits. However, Disney was still selective with their live-action movies, andwould only release a new project every few years instead of greenlighting a massive slate. Therein lies the biggest lesson that DreamWorks could learn from Disney, that it’s best to be selective about what they adapt to the big screen.
Disney has seen diminishing returns with many of their live-action movies, even though some have managed to be blockbusters too. For every hit, the studio has also had multi-million-dollar bombs, and the bombs have been coming with higher frequency than the hits in recent years. 2025’sSnow Whitewas mired in controversy from day one, but its inflated budget meant nothing less than a record-breaking performance was going to tank the film. Even the profits from a blockbuster likeLilo & Stitchare likely gobbled up by failures likeSnow White.
If DreamWorks is more selective, they can avoid the pitfalls that Disney has experienced recently.How to Train Your Dragonwasn’t just a great choice to adapt, but it was also a strong film overall. Most of Disney’s live-action movies have gotten mediocre reviews at best, and that’s because the studio has spread itself too thin.Whatever DreamWorks adapts next, they should put all of their effort into that one project, and the live-action movie will likely be much better.How to Train Your Dragonwas a great start, but the studio needs to make smart moves going forward.
